Expandable batons are used primarily by law enforcement officers, military and security personnel. Typically expandable batons have a cylindrical handle and one or more telescoping cylindrical shafts that can be nested inside the larger handle when the baton is retracted. While the retracted baton is typically of a manageable size, it can still be ungainly, especially when hung from the belt of the user and when the user is seated, such as in a car.
Batons come in various sizes. In particular, the diameter of the baton handle and the diameter of the telescoping shafts can vary. Usually a blunt, enlarged tip is located at the outer end of the innermost telescoping shaft of the expanded baton, however, some new batons having a smaller, or linear tip, are being used in a number of countries.
Baton carriers, or scabbards, are typically designed to either be clipped to the belt or threaded onto the belt of a person carrying a baton. By attaching the scabbard to the belt, in either manner, the user is provided a sheath for stowing the baton in an at-ready position. A baton carrier should be designed so that a baton cannot be inadvertently released from the carrier, or be taken by an adversary. It is thus important that baton carriers positively secure the baton within the carrier, while at the same time providing for a quick release of the baton for authorized use. Further, the baton should be placed near the users stronger, or chosen, hand such that the user is afforded appropriate control of the baton without having to take time to switch hands once the baton is unsheathed, therefore it is important that a baton holder be capable of placement either at the user's right or left side as needed and be usable in either position.
In prior art scabbards, adjustments to the angle of the carrier, relative to the user's waist, needed the complete disassembly and reassembly of the device. As a result, users would make a preliminary adjustment and then leave the device in that position rather than go to the trouble to disassemble and reassemble for minor corrections. Devices of the prior art, therefore, were often not adjusted further due to the difficulties involved.
In most circumstances it is convenient for the baton to be retracted because a retracted baton is compact and permits generally unrestricted movement by the wearer. However, in certain applications, such as riot control operations and the like, it may be preferred to stow the baton in the expanded position. Also, it may be impractical to collapse the baton particularly where a hard surface is not available for striking the required sharp axial blow, such as in grassy fields or in marine operations such as in inflatable boats. Under these and similar circumstances, it would be desirable to be able to properly holster or stow the baton and to quickly withdraw the baton from the carrier both when it is expanded and when it is retracted, utilizing a single carrier. It is preferable that the sheath portion of the scabbard be movable such that, at the preference of the wearer, the sheath can be worn parallel to the legs or at an angle to the leg (pivoted about the waist) so that the baton extends to behind the user to allow freer movement of the user, and a more easy, natural, withdrawal from the scabbard. Further, it would also be advantageous to permit the user to pivot the baton so that it is carried forward of the leg, for situations, for example, where a baton, or other elongated implement, is used to hold a mirror or other object being used in aid of security services. It would also be preferable to allow a user to set, on the scabbard, an angle at which the baton is carried comfortably or which is advantageous for the particular use, so that when the scabbard is put on it is pre-set to the users preferred position.
Since all expandable batons do not have the same dimensions, it would also be desirable that a baton carrier be readily adapted to accommodate any of a number of various configurations.